Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky now owned by Diageo that originates from the Scottish town of Kilmarnock, a large burgh in East Ayrshire, which is where the brand's creator, John Walker began making and distilling the whisky in his grocery, wine and spirits shop located in the town centre. It is the most widely distributed brand of blended Scotch whisky in the world, sold in almost every country, with annual sales of the equivalent of over 223.7 million 700Â ml bottles in 2016 (156.6 million litres).
With the advancement of technology and the ability to monitor operations in real time on a global basis, the brand's owners, Diageo, found that a restructuring programme was required across Scotland with a view to upgrade and expand bottling capacity in anticipation of future growth in demand for its brands, including an evergrowing portfolio of Johnnie Walker blends. Analyses showed that production in the brand's original home in Kilmarnock would need to be moved to Diageo plants in Leven, Fife and Shieldhall, Glasgow. On 1 July 2009, Bryan Donaghey, Diageo Managing Director for Global Supply Scotland, announced that Diageo intended to cease production at the plant in Kilmarnock. Protests at every level notwithstanding, the Johnnie Walker plant situated in Hill Street in Kilmarnock closed its doors in March 2012. (See Closure in Kilmarnock, Scotland below)
History
When John Walker, born on 25 July 1805, lost his farmer father in 1819, the family sold the farm and their trustees invested the proceeds, £ 417, in an Italian warehouse, grocery, and wine and spirits shop on the High Street in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. John managed the grocery, wine and spirits segment as a teenager in 1820. Fortunately for the whisky industry and for him, The Wash (Excise) Act of 1823 relaxed unduly strict laws on distillation of whisky and reduced, by a considerable amount, the extremely heavy taxes on the distillation and sale of whisky. By 1825, young John Walker, a teetotaller, was selling spirits, including Rum, Brandy, Gin and Islay whisky.
In short order, he switched to dealing mainly in whisky. He sold Campbeltown whisky from the Kintyre Peninsula; characteristic snorters from the Inner Hebridean Island of Islay, with their pungent, peaty and smoky flavours; ‘Glenlivat’ (sic) Speyside whisky and patent still, or ‘grain’ whisky. They were sold as made-to-order whiskies, blended to meet specific customer requirements, since he didn’t have any brand of his own (at 37.58 minutes in the documentary video titled Scotch: The Story of Whisky S01E02. Johnnie Walker features between 32.50--41.00 minutes.) Since blending of grain and malt whiskies was still banned, he was selling vatted / blended malt whiskies or grain whiskies. It took him three decades to realise that he was missing out on a golden opportunity to concoct his own brew and earn a name in the market. John first sold his self-created and distilled malt whisky as late as 1850, only seven years before his death in 1857.
Originally known as Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky, the Johnnie Walker brand is a legacy left by John "Johnnie" Walker after he started to sell whisky in his grocer's shop in Kilmarnock. The brand became popular, but after Walker's death it was his son Alexander ‘Alec’ Walker and grandson Alexander Walker II who were largely responsible for establishing the whisky as a favoured brand. British Prime Minister Gladstone’s Spirits Act of 1860 legalised the blending of grain whiskies with malt whiskies and ushered in the modern era of blended Scotch whisky. Andrew Usher of Edinburgh, Scotland, was the first to capitalise on blended Scotch whisky, a more accessible whisky that was lighter and sweeter in character, making it much more marketable to a wider audience, followed by the Walkers in due course.
Alexander Walker had introduced the iconic square bottle in 1860. This meant more bottles fitting the same space and fewer broken bottles. The other identifying characteristic of the Johnnie Walker bottle was- and still is- the label, which, since that year, is applied at an angle of 24 degrees upwards left to right and allows text to be made larger and more visible. There were no advertisements-as presently understood- at the time, other than by word of mouth and pages pasted on billboards at the town centre and it was essential that the whisky's growing following could identify it at a distance. One major factor in his favour was the arrival of the railway in Kilmarnock, carrying goods to ships plying regularly to the four corners of the world. Thanks to Alec's business acumen, sales of Walker's Kilmarnock hit 100,000 gallons (450,000 litres) per year by 1862.
In 1865, Alec created Johnnie Walker's first commercial blend and called it Old Highland Whisky, before registering it as such in 1867. He then made the astute move of engaging ships' captains as his agents to carry his whisky wherever ships could sail. Before long, his unique blend was available around the globe.
Under John Walker, whisky sales represented eight percent of the firm's income; by the time Alexander was ready to pass on the company to his own sons, that figure had increased to between 90 and 95 percent.
In 1893, Cardhu distillery was purchased by the Walkers for £20,500 to reinforce the stocks of one of the Johnnie Walker blends' key malt whiskies. This move took the Cardhu silky smooth single malt out of the market and made it the exclusive preserve of the Walkers. Cardhu's output was to become the heart of the Old Highland Whisky and, subsequent to the rebranding of 1909, the prime single malt in Johnnie Walker Red and Black Labels.
From 1906 to 1909, John's grandsons George and Alexander II expanded the line and had three blended whiskies in the market, The Old Highland 5 Year Old (YO) ; the Special Old Highland 9YO and the Extra Special Old Highland 12 YO. These three brands had the standard Johnnie Walker labels, the only difference being their colour, White, Red and Black respectively. They were already being referred to in public by the colour of their labels. In 1908, when James Stevenson was the Managing Director, the slogan "Born 1820â€"Still going Strong!" was created, along with the Striding Man logo, a figure used in their advertisements to this day, etched by illustrator Tom Browne, in honour of the founder, and given the same name. Soon thereafter, the re-branding was finalised and kept simple, in that the public-identified names were retained. In 1909, The Old Highland 5 YO was renamed the Johnnie Walker White Label, now a 6 YO; the Special Old Highland 9YO became the Johnnie Walker Red Label 10 YO and the Extra Special Old Highland was renamed Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 YO.
Browne's Striding Man, reportedly sketched on the back of a menu card was not used; Alexander and George adopted the concept of the ‘Striding Man’ immediately. With one stroke, John Walker the Victorian grocer became Johnnie Walker, the Edwardian dandy. Local artists were drawing the logo till the 1950s. Thereafter the logo was modernised and kept contemporary over the years. The direction of travel of the Striding Man was changed in 1999 as part of their global Striding Man advertisement campaign to indicate progress and that he was ready to move into the new millennium, as revealed in the same video. A major change was to come up in their rejigged marketing campaign of 2015, detailed under 'Marketing' later.
There are many differences in the presentation of the Johnnie Walker colour-based brand names of the bottles of the 1910s and of today . In the 1910s, the rectangular label at 24 degrees was smaller and worded in a markedly different fashion, including the name. The colour was NOT mentioned on the main label, but on the smaller label on the front face just below the neck, as seen on the images at certain auction sites: The quality of the glass bottles, their tops, the labels on each bottle and the printing thereon are obviously far superior today. The difference in sizes of the three labels on the bottle-front are clearly visible as are the words printed thereon.
Sensing a promising opportunity for their brands in terms of expansion of scale and variety, The Walker company became a shareholder in Coleburn Distillery in 1915 and Clynelish Distillery Co. & Dailuaine- Talisker Co in 1916. Such a strategic expansion was made solely to ensure that the output from the Cardhu, Coleburn, Clynelish, Talisker and Dailuaine distilleries would play a major role in the definition of the extant Johnnie Walker Blends and those slated to follow.
Johnnie Walker White was dropped during World War I. In 1932, Alexander II added Johnnie Walker Swing to the line, the name originating from the unusual shape of the bottle, which allowed it to rock back and forth.
The company joined Distillers Company in 1925. Distillers was acquired by Guinness in 1986, and Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan to form Diageo in 1997.
Closure in Kilmarnock, Scotland
When the brand's owners, Diageo, announced its decision in 2009 to close all operations in the town of Kilmarnock, despite it being the birthplace of both John Walker, the creator of Johnnie Walker, and the Johnnie Walker brand and whisky itself, it met with backlash from local people, local politics and then First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond. News of the planned closure attracted widespread media attention and condemnation. Despite petitions, public campaigns and a large-scale march around Kilmarnock and pressure placed upon the Scottish Government to persuade Diageo to change their minds, Diageo continued to forge ahead with the closure. When a prominent MNC is reviewing its costs in an economic downturn to produce savings of £120m, heritage and sentiment, even if an important part of the brand identity of the world’s most popular whisky, must take second place to dispassionate economics. As matters stood, 80 percent of Johnnie Walker was already being bottled at Diageo's other Scottish bottling facilities. On 9 September 2009, Diageo stated that they intended to press ahead with the move away from Kilmarnock and that the matter was "closed".
The Johnnie Walker plant, the largest employer in the town of Kilmarnock, closed its doors in March 2012.
Blends
For most of its history Johnnie Walker only offered a few blends. Since the turn of the century, there have been several special and limited bottlings.
Standard blends
- Red Label: a 40% ABV (70 proof globally and 80 proof in the USA) blend of at least 35 grain and malt whiskies, including Cardhu, Aberfeldy, Cragganmore, Linkwood and Glen Elgin among others. It was the largest selling Scotch Whisky in the world by 1945, through the 1960s, and is still the best-selling Scotch Whisky around the globe today, as we approach 2018. Its primary use now is for making mixed drinks. The gap has narrowed since with Ballantine's and Grant's closing in. Red Label has been reported to be former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's drink of choice. Duty Free versions are marketed in 1.0 litre-bottles at 43% ABV (75/86 proof)
- Black Label: a 40% ABV (70/80 proof) blend of about 40 whiskies, reportedly 35 single malt and five single grain whiskies, each aged at least 12 years. Cardhu is the dominant single malt in this blend with its smoothness , while Caol Ila 12 YO peated and Talisker 12 YO unpeated provide the hint of peat and background smoke. At least 32-33 other single malts from Diageo's 28 malt distilleries add to its flavour profile, with superfine single grain whiskies from Diageo's Cameronbridge, Port Dundas (closed in 2011, though the few remaining young and aged grain whiskies in barrels are still in use) and North British grain distilleries melding the diverse single malts. North British is operated by Lothian Distillers, a joint partnership between Edrington and Diageo.This drink was the favourite of late journalist Christopher Hitchens,who names several interesting personae. It is glimpsed in a futuristic bottle in the 1982 science fiction film Blade Runner set in 2019. Duty Free versions are marketed in either 1.0 or 1.125 litre-bottles at 43% ABV (75/86 proof). It features in another unusual bottle in the just released (Oct. 2017) futuristic (2049) sci-fi thriller Blade Runner 2049, a sequel to the 1982 film. See Special/Limited bottlings below.
- Double Black Label: was rolled out for general release in 2011 after a successful launch in travel retail . The 40% ABV No Age Statement (NAS) whisky was created taking Black Label as a blueprint, adding peaty West Coast malts (specifically the bestselling Talisker 10 YO) and Islay malts to it and maturing it in heavily charred old oak casks.
- Green Label: a 43% ABV (75/86 proof) whisky is a Blended Malt, meaning it is made just from single-malts with no grain whisky added. Green Label uses predominantly four malts "drawn from the four corners of Scotland." Each of the malts (Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore, and Caol Ila) was selected by the blender for balance. All four malt whiskies are matured for a minimum of 15 years. Diageo discontinued Green Label globally in 2012 (except for Taiwan, where demand for blended malts is very strong), as part of a revamp of the range that saw the introduction of Gold Label Reserve and Platinum Label. The brand is now globally available.
- Gold Label: a 40% ABV (70/80 proof) blend of over 15 single malts, particularly Clynelish. It was derived from Alexander Walker II's blending notes for a whisky to commemorate Johnnie Walker's centenary. His original efforts could not fructify due to a shortage of these malts following World War I. Gold Label is commonly bottled at 15 or 18 years and usually labelled "The Centenary blend". In 2013, Gold Label was replaced by a No Age Statement (NAS) blend, labelled "Gold Label Reserve".
- Platinum Label: a 40% ABV (70/80 proof) private blendâ€"aged 18 years to replace the original Gold Label in the Asian market, and sold alongside Gold Label Reserve. Though still available around the globe, the Platinum Label has been discontinued this summer (2017) and is being replaced by the Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years blended Scotch whisky. The two are identical except for the packaging and wording on the label. The same 18 malt and grain whiskies have been used, including Cardhu, Glen Elgin, Auchroisk, Blair Athol and perfectly aged island malts for subtle smokiness, all mated in 18-year-old Lowland grain whisky.
- Blue Label: Johnnie Walker's premium 40% ABV 70/80 proof ) blend with no age statement. Johnnie Walker Blue Label is blended to recreate the character and taste of some of the earliest whisky blends created in the 19th century. Bottles are numbered serially and sold in a silk-lined box accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. It is one of the most expensive blended Scotch Whiskies on the market, with prices in the range of US $174â€"$450.
- Johnnie Walker Swing: 40% ABV supplied in a distinctive bottle whose irregular bottom allows it to rock back and forth. This type of bottle design was originally used aboard sailing ships. It was Alexander II's last blend: it features a high proportion of Speyside malts, complemented by malts from the northern Highlands and Islay, and is "almost as sweet as a bourbon".
- Red & Cola: a premix of Red Label and cola, sold in cans and bottles similar to beer.
Special/Limited bottlings
- Johnnie Walker New Explorers' Club Collection: a collection which contains a number of 'series', the first of which is the 'Trade Routes' series, which contains "The Adventurer" (≈US$30) released May 2014; "The Spice Road" (≈US$43) released Dec 2012; "The Gold Route" (≈US$95) released in Mar/Apr 2013; "The Royal Route" (≈US$159) released May/Jun 2013. The Trade Routes series is available exclusively in Duty Free. The Explorer's Club of New York took umbrage at this titling and filed suit against Diageo for misuse of its trademark. After a New York judge ruled in favour of the club, a settlement was reached in November 2014 with Diageo signing a licensing agreement with the club (without disclosing the financial terms of the settlement).
- Johnnie Walker XR 21: a 40% ABV (70 proof; 80 proof in the USA) blend aged 21 years.
- Johnnie Walker Black Label: Keep Walking New Zealand: a special limited-edition of 17,500 packs to support fundraising efforts following the Christchurch earthquake in February 2011.
- Johnnie Walker Black Label: Project Black Inspiration: Facebook fans across Malaysia and Singapore had the chance to provide creative input to help shape a new bottle design in collaboration with international designer Mark Ong. Approximately 22,000 limited edition bottles featuring the final design were produced and sold exclusively in Malaysia and Singapore. (2011/2012)
- Johnnie Walker Black Label: Anniversary Edition (1909â€"2009): A special edition of the 12 year old Black Label blend from Johnnie Walker, presented in a black bottle. This was released to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its existence since its renaming in 1909. A 700 ml / 40% ABV bottling, it cost £35.69/- when it was available.
- Collectors Edition: a collectors' edition of 12-year-old Black Label was released in limited amounts (≈US$43).
- Millennium Edition: a collectors' edition of 12-year-old Black Label was released in limited amounts in the year 2000 (≈US$130).
- Odyssey â€" First bottling: an expensive Blended Malt with the first bottling of the barrel only 250 bottles (≈US$3,000).
- Odyssey: an expensive general releaseBlended Malt (≈GBP 520-580/≈US$700-800).
- Deco: a limited number of 350 ml bottles were produced in Art Decoâ€"designed bottles, hence the name of this blend.
- Premier: a blend aimed specifically at the Japanese market.
- Green Label 180 Cask: a limited edition of the Green Label released in 2009 for the Taiwanese market.
- Green Label 48%: a 2015 limited edition of the Green Label released at a higher strength for the Taiwanese market.
- Island Green Label : a 1L 43% ABV (75 proof ; 86 proof in the USA ) 2016 travel edition Blended Malt released for the Southeast Asia market.The NAS maritime blended malt includes whisky from Clynelish, Glenkinchie and Cardhu and a greater proportion of malt from Caol Ila distillery on Islay.
- Swing Superior: a limited edition variety based on the Swing blend, marked by its distinctive golden label. 86.8 proof.
- Original Swing: bottle has a cork foil top and the highly sought after gold medallion metal front label. (US$1,500)
- Celebrity: limited edition of 1462 bottles, bottled in 1972.
- Johnnie Walker 1820 Decanter: a gift to employees to mark the 50 years of operation at the Kilmarnock distillery.
- Liqueur Whisky (US$1,200)
- 21 year old: a rare aged variation of Gold Label (US$1,200).
- Quest: a special blend, rarer than Blue Label (≈$500).
- Honour: one of the most rare and most expensive blends of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky.
- Excelsior: a rare double matured Scotch whisky, distilled in 1947, bottled in 1997 (≈US$1,700).
- Old Harmony: a rare blend marketed at the Japanese market (≈US$850).
- 15 year old Kilmarnock 400 Whisky: an extremely rare Gold Label blend, a 75cl/ 43% ABV(75 proof/86 proof in USA) expression, bottled in 1992 to mark the 400th anniversary of the granting of burgh status to Kilmarnock. Quite aptly, 1992 bottles were released to celebrate the occasion [GBP 740 (US$ 970)].
- John Walker's Oldest Aged 15 to 60 Years: This extremely limited edition of 1992 was the very first appearance of what was to become Johnnie Walker Blue Label, the world's No.1 ultra-premium blended whisky. A small but significant piece of whisky history.
- Johnnie Walker Oldest NAS: The sequel to John Walker's Oldest when that edition sold out, this equally limited bottling looked identical to its predecessor except for the name and age statement. This edition also sold out in 1992, making way for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label NAS.
- 150 years Anniversary 1820â€"1970: a 150th anniversary commemorative blend. (≈US$2,000).
- Blue Label 200th Anniversary: 2005 saw Johnnie Walker's extremely limited bottling of its ultimate blend. A special release of cask strength Blue Label, in a special square Baccarat crystal decanter. It is the most expensive Johnnie Walker product, selling recently for over US$3,600 a bottle.
- Blue Label 1805: On 25 July 2005, the makers of Johnnie Walker Blue Label celebrated the birth (200th anniversary) of its founder with the release of just 200 bottles of a special edition blend, specially created by the Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Jim Beveridge. None of the 200 bottles were made available for retail sale. In recognition of John Walker's entrepreneurial success in bringing whisky of the highest quality to the world, the bottles were presented to individuals deemed to have made the most significant contribution to modern life. It is estimated that each bottle is valued at US$30,000.
- Blue Label King George V Edition (2007): To recreate the Johnnie Walker blending style from King George V era. King George V was the British monarch that first granted Johnnie Walker its Royal Warrant in 1934. Oak casks dating back to the last century were used to age the whisky, sourced from distilleries operating during the reign of King George V. Special packaging in crystal decanter accompanied by an individually numbered certificate of authenticity. (US$600)
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label Mini Blended Scotch Whisky: a rare item that includes a hand-blown nosing glass and sealed tasting notes and booklet on blue label whisky, costing around US$250.
- The John Walker: This blend includes old whiskies from distilleries long since closed. Only 330 bottles were made. (>US$3,500)
- Johnnie Walker Diamond Jubilee (2012): In honour of Queen Elizabeth II 60 bottles of whisky distilled in 1952. Only sixty bottles are being sold in Singapore at S$250,000.
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label Guam Special Edition (2015): initial limited run of only 600 bottles released on 28 July 2015. $247.99/bottle. Features original Blue label bottle with special island gold design on the front. Sold only in Guam, an unincorporated Territory of the United States. The middle of the label features the official Guam Seal which is a sling stone representing the indigenous Chamorro culture with a coconut tree and a flying Proa outrigger canoe inside the design. Possible plans for future release of other editions Christmas 2015 depending on success of this run.
- Johnnie Walker Select Casks â€" Rye Cask Finish (2015): a first in a series of limited edition wood-finished blends that will be released over the coming years. It is aged 10 years and is priced at US$45 for a 750 ml bottle, at 46% ABV. Its primary market will be the USA.
- John Walker and Sons Private Collection Whisky: a set of annual, limited release whiskies which showcase the craftsmanship and innovation of John Walker & Sons blended Scotch Whisky. It consists of Private Collection 2014 Edition, Private Collection 2015 Edition and Private Collection 2016 Edition
- Blue Label Chinese Market-oriented Expressions: Johnnie Walker Blue Label launched the Eastern Legends Collection, consisting of three limited-edition series: Zodiac, Happiness, Wealth, and Longevity, and the Five Gods of Wealth to celebrate the Chinese New Year starting 2013â€"2014. All bottles are 750 ml at 43% ABV, priced between $220-500. The Zodiac expressions were the first to be brought out, in 2013. These limited-edition bottles depict the animals of the Chinese zodiac, decorated with the latter's four facets in gold graphics using European gold leaf techniques. Johnnie Walker has released different Chinese zodiac bottles every year. Bottles of The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Dragon, of The Snake, and of The Horse were released in 2013. The Happiness, Wealth and Longevity and The Five Gods of Wealth followed in 2014. The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Ram made its debut in 2015 and The Year of the Monkey in 2016. Johnnie Walker Blue Label 2017- Year of the Rooster: A 70cl / 700 ml / 40% ABV expression as a 2017 edition of 600 bottles ex Bourbon & Sherry Oak casks, is a departure from the norm in respect of volume and strength of the Zodiac bottlings. Each bottle costs GBP 185 in Singapore. Though targeted principally at China, a few bottles of all Zodiac expressions were/are available in select countries.
- Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch 2016- The Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch of whiskies form a special series that highlights experimental Scotch whiskies that are non-conformal, yet brings a refreshing take from the distillery’s unflagging pursuit of flavour and smoothness of blend, stretching Johnnie Walker’s expert blenders for nigh on two centuries. The Blenders’ Batch whiskies have been designed 'from the bar back' to ensure bartenders have the perfect blend at hand to serve discriminating customers. With six editions released over 2016â€"17, Diageo has revealed that there will be more such exotic releases every year, under Master Blender Jim Beveridge's overall guidance.
- Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish 2016. 70cl, 40% ABV, €20.00. Malt and grain whiskies aged in first-fill bourbon casks and finished in rye casks. It was created using a blend of just four whiskies, including Cardhu single malt and grain whisky from Port Dundas. Released September 2016.
- Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish. 100cl, 40% ABV, € 44.90. Drawn from over 200 whisky samples, aged in first-fill bourbon casks and finished for up to six months in former rye casks. Features whiskies from just five distilleries including Dufftown and the now closed Port Dundas. Available in select markets including travel-retail. Released February 2017
- Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Triple Grain American Oak Scotch Whisky. 75cl, 41.3% ABV $29.97. A blend of 3 Grain Whiskies- Wheat, Barley, and Corn- from storied distilleries including the now closed Port Dundas and 2 iconic Malts from Cardhu and Mortlach. Aged for 10 years in American Oak Casks. Released Feb 2017.
- Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Wine Cask Blend Scotch Whisky 2017. 75cl, 40% ABV, $29.99. A new lighter style of whisky from the Blenders' Batch series, hand crafted by Johnnie Walker blender Aimee Gibson. Combines whisky filled into wine casks by Johnnie Walker’s master blender Jim Beveridge more than 10 years ago. The blend contains whiskies from distilleries such as Cameronbridge and Clynelish. Released Aug 2017.
- Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Rum Cask Finish. 50cl, 40.8% ABV, £30 ($40). A blend of whiskies from Speyside and the Lowlands that have been finished in casks that previously held Caribbean pot still rum. Created by Johnnie Walker blender Chris Clark. Released Aug 2017.
- Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Espresso Roast. 50cl, 43.2% ABV, £30 ($40). Blender Aimée Gibson used whiskies distilled with barley roasted more heavily than ever before. Punchy notes of rich coffee and dark chocolate that is best served neat in an espresso cup. Released Aug 2017; available in select countries from September 2017.
- Johnnie Walker Double Black Label Limited Edition: Featuring 12 black and white photographs selected from across the world that represent a vast range of emotion and humanity pasted on the bottle / printed on its cover. Contents remain unchanged.
- Johnnie Walker Black Label Limited Edition: Exactly the same as with JW Double Black, featuring 12 black and white photographs selected from across the world that represent a vast range of emotion and humanity to be pasted on the bottle and printed on its cover. Contents remain unchanged.
- Johnnie Walker's The Commemorative 1920 Edition: Tribute to the milestone year of 1920, which marked 100 years of the opening of John Walker's grocery in Kilmarnock. Only 540 bottles of this edition have been created, including irreplaceable whiskies from silent distilleries. Is something big on the cards, since 2020 which marks the 200th year of that event is just round the corner?
- John Walker & Sons Private Collection 2017: Another limited edition, showcasing the John Walker & Sons house blenders’ style and skill through small batch, one-off blends of rare whiskies. 5,588 individually numbered decanters created at S$1200/- each.
- Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director’s Cut: The recent (September 2017) release of 39,000 70 cl bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Label The Director’s Cut at 49% ABV (86/98 proof) along with the sci-fi futuristic thriller Blade Runner 2049 (October 2017) shows Diageo partnering with film director Denis Villeneuve for a limited-edition Johnnie Walker bottling. The whisky is housed in a futuristic bottle, a reprise inspired by the Johnnie Walker Black Label that appeared in the original Blade Runner film in 1982. Priced between £68 (US$90) and £122 ($160), this release is a singular deviation from the norm in terms of bottle shape, number of whiskies used-30 instead of the usual 40- and ABV.
- Johnnie Walker® Blue Label Capsule Series by Tom Dixon: British designer Tom Dixon OBE created a Johnnie Walker Blue Label Capsule Series encompassing a limited edition bottle, bespoke ice bucket, coaster and bottle cap, launched at the 2017 Milan Design Week (04 Apr â€" 09 Apr 2017). It reached select markets across Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia in October 2017.
Marketing
Every type of Johnnie Walker scotch has had a label colour till this year (2017), except for the Swing label. The Platinum Label, bottles of which are still available around the globe, has been discontinued this summer and is being replaced by the Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years blended Scotch whisky (See Blends above). The purpose is to supposedly denominate the different types of scotch and to position them to be used for different occasions. For example, Johnnie Walker Blue Label is rare and expensive, and so it is intended to be used for special occasions. A short video called 'Johnnie Walker Blue Label Presents Jude Law in "The Gentleman's Wager" [GR]' was uploaded on Jul 30, 2014 to promote JW Blue Label as rarer than rare, meant to be used by the glitterati on special occasions while also furthering the Keep Walking motto. A sequel followed in November 2015, consequent to Diageo's decision on a fresh marketing strategy and concomitant logo evolution, detailed infra.
A key feature of every bottle of Johnnie Walker scotch is the Striding Man logo. It was created in 1908 by illustrator Tom Browne to be a likeness of John Walker in traditional, upscale attire, but not used by the Walkers. Local artists created this logo up to the 1950s. The logo was changed in 1999 to show the man walking forwards, which Diageo says symbolises forward thinking, the pursuit of excellence and readiness to enter the next millennium. Diageo has created a members club for Johnnie Walker drinkers, called The Striding Man Society.
Another key aspect of its marketing is the slanted label, which is angled at exactly 24 degrees. This was an advertising tool developed by Alexander Walker, who thought it would help his bottles stand out on the shelf. The slanted label also accommodates more text than would a traditionally oriented label.
In 2009, the advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) created a new short film, starring Robert Carlyle and directed by Jamie Rafn, titled The Man Who Walked Around the World, which outlined the history of the Johnnie Walker brand.
Johnnie Walker Black Label was promoted in the USA in a video titled Keep Walking America, followed by another expanding on which brand to gift on occasions calling for a gift.
In 2013, ahead of the sixth season of Mad Men, the firm launched an ad campaign promoting JW Red Label, featuring Christina Hendricks.
Johnnie Walker also launched the international John Walker & Sons Voyager tour in order to market its higher variants in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and Caribbean markets. The Voyager tour was developed in order to promote the special edition Odyssey blend and pay tribute to the original trade routes and sea voyages by which Johnnie Walker was distributed throughout the world. The final leg of the tour was completed in 2014 visiting six Caribbean countries on board the Regina Yacht (featured in the major motion picture Skyfall).
The logo was modified again in February 2015. Designed by London-based Bloom in collaboration with illustrator Garry Redford, it features far more intricate detailing and set the scene for another change in September, this time in the tagline, to kick off in 50 countries its biggest brand campaign since 1999. The new tagline reads "Joy Will Take You Further Keep Walking." Henceforth, the logo will only be in gold, black, or white, and on top of 'fancy things'. Diageo explains its rationale:
" ‘Joy Will Take You Further’ is an evolution of the brand’s famous ‘Keep Walking’ campaign and represents a new perspective on personal progress, which has defined the brand’s philosophy for more than 15 years and helped Johnnie Walker become the most valuable spirits brand in the world. Based on new insights into how success is viewed by consumers today, it brings to life the concept that joy can be a catalyst to the progress they seek, and aims to generate a positive culture shift by promoting and encouraging the idea that finding joy in the journey is part of the recipe for success." An 11 minute video titled 'Johnnie Walker Blue Label presents Jude Law in "The Gentleman's Wager II"' was uploaded on Nov 5, 2015 as a sequel to the 2014 version, again promoting JW Blue Label as rarer than rare, but with a singular difference. It projected the ‘Joy Will Take You Further’ theme.
Controversies
2015 forged kosher certification allegations
Up until 2015 Johnnie Walker Black Label bottles had a Kosher sign, naming the OK Kosher organization as one that provide Kosher tests for the product. IBBL and Paneco groups export Johnnie Walker to Israel.
Following an inquiry by the Israeli Rabbinical authority, Rabbi Aharon Hesskel from the OK organization conducted an investigation and published that only IBBLS marks are genuine while the Paneco group did not get their certification. The Israeli Rabbinical authority released a statement that urged customers to verify the producer and stated that the Paneco group is suspected of certificate forgery. Paneco representatives stated that they do have a Kosher certificate (from the Israeli rabbinical authority) and asked the Israeli police to perform an investigation. A representative told the International Business Times, "All products sold on Paneco.com are completely and solely original. The Johnnie Walker whisky products sold on the site are created by the primary manufacturer at the Diageo distillery in Scotland and is exactly the same product marketed by a competing company in Israel, which holds the kosher certification for the product."
Accolades
Johnnie Walker spirits have received strong scores at international spirit ratings competitions and from liquor review bodies. The Green Label received a string of three double gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition between 2005 and 2007. The Gold Label received double gold medals from the San Francisco competition in 2008 and 2009 and won a gold in 2010. Spirits ratings aggregator proof66.com, which averages scores from the San Francisco Spirits Competition, Wine Enthusiast, and others, puts the Black, Blue, Gold and Green Labels in its highest performance category ("Tier 1" Spirits). Johnnie Walker spirits have several times taken part in the Monde Selection's World Quality Selections and have received a Gold and Grand Gold Quality Award. Johnnie Walker was voted India's Most Trusted Premium Whisky Brand according to the Brand Trust Report 2014, a study conducted by Trust Research Advisory.
Sponsorships
As well being the official whisky of Formula One, They are also currently a sponsor of F1 team Force India. Johnnie Walker also sponsors the Johnnie Walker Classic, an Asia-Pacific golf tournament, and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, a golf tournament in Scotland.
Cultural figures
Vanity Fair writer Christopher Hitchens was partial to Johnnie Walker Black Label, and referred to it as "Mr Walker's Amber Restorative". He preferred to take it mixed with Perrier water and no ice. Johnnie Walker Blue Label was a favourite of the late US president Richard Nixon, who used to enjoy it with ginger ale and a wedge of lime.
Gallery
References
Further reading
- MacLean, Charles (2003). Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History. Cassell Illustrated. ISBNÂ 1-84403-078-4.Â
- Molavi, Afshin. "Straight Up: How Johnnie Walker conquered the world". Foreign Policy. The Slate Group (September/October 2013). Retrieved 8 October 2013.Â
External links
- Official website
- Johnnie Walker on thebar.com, owned by Diageo